AXiNsider by Airport Experience® News

“Airports need to … tell their story, make sure their elected representatives understand what these local projects are in their communities, the jobs they create, the sustainability angle, the resiliency.”  A coalition of aviation industry participants worked together with airport lobbying organizations to win $20 billion in relief funds from Congress. That’s likely the extent of what Congress wil...

“Even under the best of circumstances we don’t expect that traffic is going to get back, certainly not this year and probably not in 2022, to levels that are needed to sustain the airports and concessionaires.”  Passenger counts are increasing, which provides reason for optimism, but they’re far from back to a level that can sustain airports and operators. So, while nearly $1 billion in federal ai...

“Once we’re sort of back to some sense of normalcy we’re going to see a huge bump in economic activity, and then maybe [with] a little bit of a lag, in travel. That’s exactly what happened 100 years ago when the 1919 pandemic ended.”  President Joe Biden faces several aviation-related challenges as he begins his term. They range from finding a way to pay for long-overdue infrastructure improvement...

“We thought combining everything into one contract would provide the flexibility the financial markets would look for in order to help finance the project.” – David Long, deputy director of aviation overseeing properties and commercial development.  The city of Kansas City is moving forward with plans for the concessions program inside the new terminal at Kansas City International Airport (MCI). A...

“We’re anticipating money for airports …There have been no details yet, but we are anticipating a robust infrastructure package.” This episode is an update to our pre-election conversation with Sam Whitehorn, episode 112 released on October 29, 2020. The election is, well, likely almost over. Most of the prominent races that featured candidates with a history of supporting transportation funding w...

“If the employee experience is positive, it’s going to drive optimal and exceptional customer experiences.” While there’s still a lot of uncertainty around when airports might start truly recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic that has devastated it since March, there are some positive signs in terms of hiring. A survey of its clients conducted by CXE earlier this year indicated that nearly two-thi...

“An infrastructure package … is something that stimulates jobs. It does a lot to get people back working and get the economy moving.” President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden have both promised significant infrastructure bills during their campaigning for president. There aren’t a lot of details as to what their plans would include or how they would be funded. But the need for si...

“Millennials and Gen-Zers, so many of these people do so much from their smart device. Data is all part of that, so if we start to share data better, maybe we create a different environment and we change how we do things.” As the industry prepare for eventual recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, several other factors are affecting what the industry might look like in the future. Mil...

“It might look like there’s not a lot going on here, but we’re almost busier than ever. In some of the areas we had identified as potential areas of growth, we’re moving really quickly on. Real estate development is one and cargo is the other.” Traffic at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is running at about 30 percent of 2019 levels. But that doesn’t mean the airport has nothing going on dur...

“Carriers are burning let’s call it $25 million a day. We need to get from a cash negative perspective to a cash neutral to a cash positive, then we can talk about profitability. So, I think we’re really three or four years away.” Initially, Delta Airport Consultants’ research indicated the possibility that by the end of 2019, traffic could be back as high as 40 percent of 2019 levels. The recent...

“For the first time I’m hopeful to see a seamless, touchless process in travel. People have been talking about it for a long time. … We should use the crisis to move these things along. The experience can become much more pleasant.” Rian Burger, Senior Principal specializing in Airports for Stantec Architecture   While COVID-19 has had a disastrous effect on travel, it’s pushing airports to make m...

“I’m not sure there is ever going to be a return to exactly the way things were before. I think there will be a new normal and everyone will get used to it, but there will be a change in the way things are done that will remain permanent.” Julie Wienberg, Vice President of Aviation Infrastructure, HNTB Corp. The COVID-19 health pandemic will eventually be in the past and signage reminding traveler...

Vancouver-based Smart Design Group has benefited significantly from its work in aviation design. So, as the effects of COVID-19 ravaged travel counts across the world, Nick Baker wanted to give something back. He's offered his company's services for free to members of the Airport Minority Advisory Council in order to help smaller businesses navigate changes necessary to consider reopening. While h...

The Miseducation of CBD. This Hub Session features a conversation with Dr. Keith Aqua, chief medical officer for Mile Hight Labs, in which he explains the facts and the myths about CBD. Hub Sessions took place at the 2020 Airport Experience Conference in Denver. We share these Hub Session recordings with you here courtesy of Plaza Premium Group, the Hub Session Sponsor.

The Value of Incremental Change Yielding Substantive Results. This Hub Session features a conversation with Bethanie Nonami, CEO of Marley Nonami, in which she uses data and metrics to tout the advantages of using small changes to make a big impact on customer experience. Hub Sessions took place at the 2020 Airport Experience Conference in Denver. We share these Hub Session recordings with you her...

Artificial Intelligence and the Continued Smartening of Our World. This Hub Session features a conversation with Christina Apatow, founder of Fetchy Fox, in which she discusses the possibilities opened up by embracing artificial intelligence in the airport. Hub Sessions took place at the 2020 Airport Experience Conference in Denver. We share these Hub Session recordings with you here courtesy of P...

The Next in Line of the Evolving Airport Hotel. This Hub Session features a conversation with Jonathan Song, director of global business development for Plaza Premium Group, in which he discusses the ins and outs of bringing hotels to airports. Hub Sessions took place at the 2020 Airport Experience Conference in Denver. We share these Hub Session recordings with you here courtesy of Plaza Premium...

The Craft of Perpetual Creation and Reinvention. This Hub Session features a conversation with Ross Koenigs, research and design brewer for New Belgium Brewery, in which he discusses reinventing the wheel to stay abreast of trends. Hub Sessions took place at the 2020 Airport Experience Conference in Denver. We share these Hub Session recordings with you here courtesy of Plaza Premium Group, the Hu...

When he first transitioned into airports Jason Paltzer was just looking for a fresh start, but he wasn’t prepared for the dynamic and ever-changing world of airport concessions to be so enthralling. In this episode, Paltzer discusses how he finds the hustle and bustle of the industry invigorating and how stepping up to meet challenges has helped enrich his career. This is the latest in our series...

Eric Friedman’s interest in aviation began at an early age. When he discovered life as an air traffic controller wasn’t everything he’d dreamed, he transitioned into an operations role at MSY, where he’s currently part of the concessions team. In the wake of the opening of the airport’s newest terminal and instituting a post-security pass system for non-ticketed guests to dine and shop in the airp...

“Dragged kicking and screaming” into the airport concessions industry, Meredith Genochio, chief operating officer of Tastes on the Fly, recounts her reluctant transition more than a decade ago from the traditional dining sector to airport concessions, and how she quickly gained a passion for her company’s mission.  This episode was recorded at the 2020 Airport Experience Conference in the first we...

...and the steering of a small, family-owned business during unprecedently turbulent times. This interview was recorded Friday March 27.

The following was recorded Sunday March 22. My conversation with Nick centers on the view of the crisis from a small business perspective, his outlook on how we survive as an industry, and the work he is doing as a board member of the Airport Restaurant & Retail Association (ARRA). BONUS: I've added my chat with Ben Rababy with United Concessions Group. This was recorded March 19 and much had chan...

Pam Dechant chats about her entry into the airport industry and what she is looking forward to at Denver International Airport. For all of the upcoming episodes I will also be sharing my conversations with various small businesses to get their view on the impact to their company. For the latest on COVID-19 related news impacting the airport industry, head to airportxnews.com .  

...and the continuation of a legacy business by its next generation. Here is a link to a documentary on Herman J. Russell that you should take the time to watch. It's inspiring.  https://www.pba.org/shows/building-atlanta-herman-j-russell-story/